Abstract
Parsley is an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region and treasured for its phytochemical profile and bioactive properties. Developmental stage at harvest is a factor that modulates the nutritional quality of vegetables, including young greens. Accordingly, an experiment under strictly controlled conditions was carried out to compare the mineral macronutrient and phytochemical composition as well as the antioxidant activity of plain-leaf parsley (Petroselinum crispum cv. Comune 2) at two different harvest maturity stages, microgreens and baby greens. Macronutrients, carotenoids (lutein and β-carotene) and polyphenols were quantified through ion chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) and UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), respectively. Microgreens accumulated more potassium and phosphorus, whereas baby greens accumulated more calcium and magnesium, and 65.5% less nitrate. In addition, microgreens provided 1.8-fold more lutein and 2.8-fold more β-carotene, whereas baby greens provided 183.6% more total ascorbic acid, 64.2% more total polyphenols and 170.3% higher hydrophilic antioxidant activity. Based on the culinary and phytonutritive scope of the consumers, different harvest maturity stages can be opted for and production schemes designed. Future studies are warranted to appraise the importance of ontogeny as a determinant factor for the composition and bioactive value of additional micro-herb genotypes, including underutilized Mediterranean species.
Highlights
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by high vegetables’ consumption [1,2], and is traditionally outlined as being rich in wild greens, herbs and spices, thereby praised for its palatability and health benefits, making it a cultural model for dietary advancement, and gaining the nomination of the “good Mediterranean diet” [2,3]
Adopting a traditional Mediterranean diet was found to be inversely related to inflammation [2], especially considering that functional food-rich diets can hamper the risk of diseases caused by altered intracellular antioxidant systems [4]
Parsley seeds germinated in darkness in a growth chamber (KBP-6395F, Termaks, Bergen, Norway) for nine days at 24 ◦C and 100% relative humidity (RH)
Summary
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by high vegetables’ consumption [1,2], and is traditionally outlined as being rich in wild greens, herbs and spices, thereby praised for its palatability and health benefits, making it a cultural model for dietary advancement, and gaining the nomination of the “good Mediterranean diet” [2,3]. The dietary traits adopted in southern Italy, Greece and Crete are the traits representing the Mediterranean diet abundant in plant-based foods [2]. Since antiquity, this diet has been a subject of interest and is currently asserted as a prototype for the dietary guidelines in the United States and the wider world [3]. The Mediterranean basin is lavishly abundant in aromatic crops [5] Among these crops, Apiaceous herbs are widely used, such as (i) parsley, (ii) cumin, (iii) coriander, (iv) fennel, (v) and dill [2], either fresh or dried as seasoning, as well as in the form of seeds [2,4,6,7]. Numerous health-promoting properties are attributed to parsley’s leaf bioactive phytochemicals [4,6,9,11], since human cells count for defense on exogenous bioactive compounds contained in functional foods, in addition to the endogenous defense system in order to pare oxidative stress levels [4]
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